Buzz
The discomfort of mispronouncing someone's name, or having your own name mispronounced, is a universal experience. (Saoirse Ronan is a prime example.) Even names that appear straightforward can often be deceptively difficult.
WordFinderX, a platform offering tips for word puzzles, gathered data on the most commonly mispronounced first names globally. Using information from Forvo, a digital pronunciation guide, they identified names that caused the most confusion based on search frequency. Explore their insights in the map provided:
View the full-sized image | Courtesy of WordFinderXThe name Sean tops the list as the most perplexing globally, pronounced “shaun.” With nearly 1 million searches on Forvo, it surpasses Xuxa (“shoo-shuh”) from Basque, which holds second place. Other names in the top five include Victoria (“Vic-tore-ee-uh”), Francisco (“Fran-siss-co”), and Plato (“Play-toh”). Below is the complete top 20:
Click to see the full-sized version | Courtesy of WordFinderXMany may find it unexpected that Anne appears on the list, ranking 14th globally and leading the top 20 most mispronounced English names:
Click to view the full-sized version | Courtesy of WordFinderXThe name Anne can be tricky, with different pronunciations across regions. In English-speaking countries, it’s “ahhn,” while in the Netherlands and Finland, it’s “anne-uh.” Some differentiate Anne from Ann by pronouncing the e as “ann-ee.” Meanwhile, James is often mispronounced because languages like Spanish render the j as an English h.
Not everyone will make the effort to learn proper name pronunciations. If your name is frequently mispronounced, etiquette expert Sara Jane Ho suggests handling it with patience. Wait for a pause in the conversation to gently correct the speaker, and consider adding that the error is common to ease any embarrassment.
